Why Buy Antiques?

Laura Gaskill, a Houzz contributor offers the following in the article "A Beginner's Mini Guide to Buying Antiques" -- The world of antiques has so much to offer, and it is more accessible than you might think. If you've been considering adding an antique piece or two to your home but are not sure where to begin, this mini guide covers the basics, from what makes an antique an antique to how to spot a great piece, the importance of provenance and more." Read rest of article here

TheNewCollector.com offers some great ideas for buying antique gifts: "The Outdoorsman or Woman – Try incorporating function and history with an item like an antique decoy. Decoys may have been used by hunters but they also have artistic merit. Other good gifts would be antique snowshoes (nice displayed on a wall), landscape artwork, or any twig furniture. Anglers will find a wealth of items as well including beautiful antique wicker creels, reels, and even lures. Don’t forget that there is a lot of folk art, fine art and advertising that is also dedicated to nature and sportsmanship. All these items bring a bit of the outdoors inside in a unique and unexpected way.

Entertainers – No, I don’t mean they put on shows (although that would be fun), I mean people who host gatherings with friends and family at their homes. For a person in this category, anything that is decorative but also useful would be appropriate.Decanter and glass sets are gorgeous sitting on display or filled with fine drinks. Dining accessories like antique table cloths, dishes, candle sticks and silver serving ware compliment any great meal. Even not so useful items like hand made wooden butter molds would look good in a chef’s kitchen and serve as a conversation piece about culinary history. Who knows? You might introduce your favourite party host to a new collection!" See entire article here